Transferring the Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control (IPPC) Approach and Best Available Techniques (BAT) Concepts to Egypt, Tunisia and Morocco

Tiberio Daddi,Víctor Calvo,Maria De Giacomo,Gloria Lepe,Evelien Dils,Caroline Polders

doi:10.3390/su5072944

Abstract

The principles introduced by the Directive Concerning Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control (IPPC) (currently known as the Industrial Emissions Directive (2010/75/EU)) are innovative and have raised interests in the framework of the literature debate on environmental regulation. Many articles describe and analyze the application of the Directive in European countries, but only a few articles focus on how the interest for the Directive’s principles, including the integrated approach, have reached countries outside the European Union. This paper aims to contribute to this topic, describing the experience of the authors in carrying out an EU-funded project on transferring the IPPC approach and Best Available Techniques (BAT) concepts to three Arab countries, i.e., Egypt, Morocco and Tunisia. The paper presents the experience referring to two sectors falling within the scope of the IPPC Directive: the textile and dairy sector. The objectives, methodologies, activities and experiences are described and can be used and valorized to integrate the IPPC approach and BAT concepts in the current environmental legislation of the three countries.

Highlights

Considering the wide impact of pollution originating from some industrial processes, the pollution prevention and control approach is a key aspect to point out.The European Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control (IPPC) Directive is the main European regulation on this aspect
Analyzing the literature more in depth, in order to identify hypothetical previous experiences aimed to adapt IPPC approaches and principles outside European borders, we found only two previous experiences described in the academic literature and in technical reports
The BAT4MED project analyses the potential impact of the introduction of the IPPC approach in the Mediterranean Partner Countries (MPC) and, if and how this can contribute to minimizing the negative impacts associated with the activities from key industrial sectors in the MPC

Summary

Introduction

Considering the wide impact of pollution originating from some industrial processes, the pollution prevention and control approach is a key aspect to point out. The European Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control (IPPC) Directive is the main European regulation on this aspect. Commission [EC], 2010) [2] The core of this regulation is the integrated and preventative approach to pollution of some industrial processes included in the scope of the Directive [3,4]. One of the main novelties of this regulation is that it authorizes industrial activities through a unique integrated approach [5,6,7]. The integrated approach means that the permit system must consider the whole environmental performance of the plant, covering all environmental aspects. The Directive mainly addresses large installations and indicates specific production capacity thresholds [8]

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Conclusion